


Cross-Cultural Exchange

by foxysquid



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Cold War, College, Competition, Eventual Romance, Friendship, Galra Empire, Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Lance (Voltron), M/M, Mars, Mutual Pining, Rivalry, Romance, Science, Science Fiction, Space Flight, Space Husbands, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Terraforming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-05-13 12:35:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14748993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxysquid/pseuds/foxysquid
Summary: The Galra Empire and the Altean Alliance have been locked in a cold war for generations, but it's starting to thaw. A select number of Galra scholars have been dispersed throughout the universe on a program of cultural exchange—including a few who enroll at Galaxy Garrison University, Earth's premier space sciences school.Shiro is eager to meet the new students, but his relationships with them become more complicated than he'd anticipated.Ulaz hopes to expand his scientific knowledge, but his interests veer sharply into the personal.And Sendak aspires to come out on top.





	1. Cold War Thaw

Shiro was aware he shouldn't stare. He _wasn't_ staring, and he had no intention of doing so, but the temptation to turn and look was strong. Resolute, he kept his gaze fixed on the professor at the front of the class, yet no matter what he looked at, he remained keenly aware of his classmate, positioned on the edge of his vision's periphery. He needed to concentrate on this physics lecture, but the student's height and breadth, as well as his purplish-gray skin, made him difficult to block out of sight and mind, even when Shiro wasn't facing him.

He wasn't the only one who found the Galran difficult to ignore. The interest gathering around the new student was palpable. It all but buzzed, like electricity in the air. Earth and the planets of its solar system were not popular destinations for Galra tourists—not that there were many of those, anywhere in the universe—but the extremely low number of vacationers was nothing compared to the infinitesimal number of Galra citizens who emigrated from the empire. Galrans were a rare sight in this solar system.

The number of Galra students at the university was predictably very low. Shiro's approximate understanding was that there were more than ten and less than twenty Galra currently enrolled, although the administration had phrased that figure as "a marked increase in Galra enrollment over the last five years." The grand total of Galra faculty at the markedly diverse school was: two. Despite these small sums, Galaxy Garrison University now boasted more Galra students than any other Earth-run educational institution, so it was worth drawing attention to the numbers, no matter what size they were. Over these last five years of marked increase in Galra enrollment, public interest in Galra culture had been steadily increasing. The universe was changing, and in a way none of the political analysts had predicted.

The vast and isolationist Galra Empire had historically kept its contact with other intergalactic civilizations to the most minimal and terse level possible. The Galra operated on the principle that their actions throughout the universe did not have to be reported to or approved by any other power, because no power had authority over them. They were beholden to no one. Their diplomats were rare and severe. They were not a complete mystery: their secrecy had been pierced by exploratory missions, some permitted by the Galra, and others far less official. A few of these expeditions had undoubtedly had the hidden aim of espionage, but a number of them had been genuine scientific and cultural research operations. It had long been common knowledge that the Galra had been industriously colonizing uninhabited worlds over the past few centuries, ceaselessly expanding their territory in all possible directions. As a result, their relationships with their nearest neighbors were chilly at best, and openly hostile at worst. 

The Galra and the Alteans, in particular, had been at odds for generations, engaged in the known universe's longest running cold war. Altea was the closest inhabited, developed world to the Empire's royal planet of Daibazaal. Daibazaal had tested the strength of the borders of Altean space many times, through outpost placement and daring forays. Harsh words were often exchanged between the two governments, and it was one of the great miracles of Altean diplomacy that their cold war hadn't heated up into outright battle. Earth was a part of the Altean Alliance, so there was no ambiguity regarding the loyalties of Shiro's home planet. The empire had long been viewed by Earthlings with suspicion, or outright animosity.

The shift in intergalactic relations had been as rapid as it was surprising. In the past decade, the Galra Emperor, Zarkon, had suddenly started to expand trade with planets outside of his empire, and to allow more of his citizens to travel freely. Skilled professionals and students had been sent to various worlds to serve as cultural ambassadors. Due to the secretive nature of Galra government, the reason for this change was not publicly known. Earth was so far from the empire that the thaw in the empire's cold policies had had a comparatively light impact on Earth's government and economy, but Earth had welcomed a small number of Galra scientists and scholars.

This development had caused a swift, if not entirely stable, shift in Earth attitudes towards the Galra. The citizens of Earth, who had traditionally viewed the empire as shadowy and menacing, developed and indulged an intense appetite for all things Galra. There was no end to the books, articles, news stories, and video blogs on the subject of the empire, not to mention the questionable merchandise for sale and the numerous comments and rants made by anyone with an interest or opinion. Not everyone favored the warming relations. Suspicion couldn't be subdued in a day or in a decade. Generations might not be enough. A high percentage of the opinion pieces you could find on the subject were of the opinion that this was a trick on the part of the empire, to lull people into a false sense of security. The new students were spies, the scientists were saboteurs—claims like these, and more outrageous ones, circulated widely both online and in person.

The Garrison's view was far more optimistic. The administration had eagerly applied to receive Galra student ambassadors as soon as the new policies went into effect. Garrison students represented all civilized worlds within the Alliance and beyond. Shiro appreciated the school's inclusive philosophy, because it was one he shared. 

By now, everyone at the Garrison must have heard that new Galra students had enrolled this semester, all of them from the empire, and all enrolled in the space exploration program. The Galran in Shiro's class was one of them, and he must have attracted more than his share of gawking already. Shiro didn't want to add to the excessive attention. The Galran was here to learn physics, like everyone else. As he tried to focus on the lecture, Shiro noticed more than a few heads swiveling in the direction of the class' tallest and most gray student, but since this was the first day of classes, people were going to be curious. Hopefully, in another week or so, the stares would stop. Galrans shouldn't be treated differently from other students. Shiro could rein in his curiosity.

When the lecture was over, a cluster of students formed around the Galran almost immediately. Even the professor moved in with an eager stride, students stepping aside for her. Shiro glanced in the direction of the center of attention, and his gaze immediately met the new student's yellow eyes. The Galran's gray skin was offset by white facial markings and a bright strip of white hair down the center of his head. Shiro smiled when they made eye contact, but he didn't want to contribute to the eager press, so he shouldered his bag and left. The Galran hadn't smiled back at him, but that was no surprise. He knew they were sparing with their smiles.

Shiro was reminded of that truth when he was confronted by an unsmiling face as he passed through the lecture hall door and out into the broad central corridor. "Shiro, did you check your messages?" Keith may not have been smiling, but Shiro could tell his friend was glad to see him. Keith's ears twitched. Keith was half-Galran, and his complexion was a shade of purple that made his heritage clear. His eyes were dark purple, with dark gold sclerae—and they were frequently filled with determination.

Shiro started walking down the corridor with Keith as they spoke, not wanting to block the doors. The hall was rapidly crowding with students. "No, I didn't check my messages. I turned my phone off in class."

"Of course," said Keith, with a sniff. Shiro was too diplomatic to mention that where Keith was concerned, it was rare to find his phone turned _on_. "They released the crew assignments."

That explained why Keith had been checking his phone. It was a special occasion. Students in the exploration program had more than the usual array of classes on their schedules. Each year, they were sorted into three-person teams, or crews, for the purposes of training, team-building, competition, and various school activities. The crew assignments lasted the entire year, and were chosen by the faculty based on each student's aptitudes, records, and test scores. The idea behind the crew system was that it would acclimate students not only to operating as a team, but to working with a wide range of personnel with different skills, backgrounds, and personalities.

"I'll check them after I eat," said Shiro.

"You're going to wait?"

"Keith," said Shiro, "how long have you been waiting out here?"

"Not long." 

That "not long" could have meant anything from a few minutes to an hour. Keith's first class had concluded a couple hours ago. Shiro knew this, and Keith had known where he'd be able to find Shiro. They'd exchanged their class schedules months ago, as soon as they'd been finalized. Shiro didn't doubt that Keith had memorized both their schedules immediately. "Why don't we eat together?" Shiro asked. "You must be hungry." He must have been waiting to eat until he joined Shiro, too.

"I could eat," said Keith.

"That's always good to hear."

"The Galra are already causing trouble," said Keith, veering away from the unimportant subject of food as they headed for the cafeteria.

"How so?" asked Shiro. The Galran in his class had done nothing but sit quietly through the inaugural physics lecture.

"You didn't check the crew assignments yet," said Keith, as if that explained everything.

This was obvious, as for the entire time they'd been walking together, he hadn't glanced once at his phone. He smiled. "Not yet."

"Three of them are on one team," said Keith, with a meaningful narrowing of his eyes.

That was unusual, considering the number of Galrans in the exploration program relative to the number of people in the program as a whole, but Shiro was willing to wait on leaping to a conclusion. It could have been a coincidence.

"It can't be a coincidence," said Keith immediately, as if reading his mind. He probably _had_ had a good idea of what Shiro had been about to say. They had known each other so long that they had a high rate of success in predicting each other's reactions.

"One of them was in physics with me," said Shiro. "He didn't cause any trouble."

Keith wasn't convinced by this single anecdote. "I know what they're like."

Shiro was reluctant to continue discussing this topic to the point of argument. Keith had had his share of difficulties with Galra, who traditionally disapproved of inter-species relationships and mixed-species people. There were a number of reasons Keith and his parents had settled on Earth instead of living among his mother's people in the empire, but that was one of them. Not that Keith didn't have reason to be wary of both humans and Galra. Before the current interest in all things Galra, public opinion hadn't been so positive. Even if the current upswing represented an improvement, the positivity was far from being universal, and Shiro was very aware that the Garrison's friendly outlook wasn't representative of Earth society as a whole. Keith was aware of this too, and he had made his feelings on the matter clear to Shiro on numerous occasions. 

"And they started the program in junior year," said Keith. "You're not supposed to jump in right in the middle."

"I can understand why they wouldn't start them as first year students, if they already have imperial training. But I see why it's frustrating." Shiro was attempting to balance his desire to be charitable with his desire to respect Keith's opinion. "If they were willing to come here as students, they must have some interest in Earth and it's culture."

"I knew you'd say that." Keith sighed, but Shiro could tell from the tone of his sigh that he was only moderately frustrated. 

"I'm sure it won't be that bad," said Shiro. Maybe he had no reason to be so optimistic, but he was hoping to be proven right.

"You'll find out soon enough."

"That sounded a little ominous," Shiro said.

"I meant it to."

Shiro laughed as they stepped into the cafeteria. The space opened up dramatically, as the cafeteria took the form of a large, clear dome. Through the transparent walls, the red, rocky surface of Mars stretched out for miles, making this one of the most scenic spots on campus.

The terraforming of Mars was well underway, but the project's completion was decades in the future. This was Earth's first major terraforming project, and although they had help from more experienced scientists from a number of allied worlds, the progress had not been rapid. All inhabited structures were protected by a layer of solar shielding. The greatest obstacle to making Mars a livable planet was its lost magnetosphere. There wasn't sufficient atmospheric density for people to walk the planet's surface without protective gear. There was also little protection from radiation.

Other than the students, faculty, and staff of Galaxy Garrison, a university specializing in the space sciences, most of the citizens of Mars were members of the scientific community engaged in on-planet research. The Garrison's particular focus and placement was one crucial reason it had been chosen to receive Galra cultural ambassadors. All the Galra students were enrolled in the prestigious Space Exploration Initiative program, the pride of the Garrison. The SEI was the first Earth program of its kind, and had been developed in collaboration with the Alteans and other Alliance members.

"You could _tell_ me the assignments," said Shiro.

"I could," Keith replied, in his low, dry teasing voice. Keith must have thought better of his joking, because he shortly added, "We're in the same squadron." Each class was split into crews of three, with the odd crew of four thrown in if the number of students couldn't divide equally into threes. Those crews were grouped into squadrons. Crews in the same squadron both competed against each other and teamed up to combat rival squadrons in various contests. 

"That's an improvement." Being in the same squadron meant they'd be working together more closely. They had been placed on rival squadrons for the first two years of the program, and this would make an interesting change. "So it's not all bad."

"That's the _good_ part," said Keith.

"Now you're getting me a little worried, but I'll deal."

Instead of replying, Keith fixed his attention on a spot just past Shiro's shoulder. His relatively relaxed expression became guarded as his stance stiffened. Shiro didn't need to glance over his shoulder to realize that a person of interest must be standing there.

"Takashi Shirogane." 

Following this formal announcement of his name, Shiro turned to find himself facing the Galran from his physics class. Somehow, he seemed taller up close. Shiro instinctively tilted his head back. The Garrison did have a uniform, but students weren't obligated to wear it except for certain activities and on formal occasions. The new student was wearing Galra clothing, in black and purple, the lines of which managed to accentuate his size. "Oh. Hi." Shiro wondered why he had become unable to speak coherently. "Nice to meet you."

"And you. My name is Ulaz," said the Galran, extending his arm.

Remembering his Galra culture basics, Shiro reached out and grasped Ulaz's forearm instead of his hand, his fingers applying light pressure just below the Galran's elbow. Ulaz squeezed his arm at the same time. As they both lowered their hands and drew apart, Shiro had no better idea of what he should say, but he made an attempt. "I saw you in class. I'd have said hello, but you were already overrun."

"I was," Ulaz agreed. "Everyone has been welcoming."

"Great. They should be." After this, Shiro found he had exhausted his stock of phrases, still struck by whatever it was that was interfering with his brain's ability to formulate words and his mouth's ability to speak them. He was still looking up at Ulaz. He hoped the expression on his face was reasonably sensible.

Fortunately, Ulaz filled the silence. "I saw we'd been assigned to the same crew, and I wanted to introduce myself," said Ulaz.

"Oh," said Shiro. They were on the same crew. Faced with the knowledge that they'd shortly be spending more time together, Shiro was also faced with the awareness that he'd been _hoping_ to get to know Ulaz better, since he'd first glimpsed him at the beginning of class. It was a hope that hadn't solidified into a conscious thought until now, when it was likely to become a reality.

"He wouldn't know that." Keith leapt into the conversation with a slightly aggressive tone. "Because he turns off his phone in class."

"Sensible," replied Ulaz, with a nod.

"I'm Keith." Keith was watching the Galran closely, evaluating his reaction with an intensely critical eye.

"Yes, this is Keith," said Shiro, realizing he should have said made an introduction before now. "My friend."

Ulaz, in response, offered an arm to Keith, exactly as he had greeted Shiro. Shiro looked on as Keith slowly and deliberately grasped Ulaz's forearm. There was no shift in Ulaz's expression as he returned the gesture. The features of his face remained politely neutral in composition. Nothing in his look or bearing indicated that he had difficulty accepting Keith's obviously mixed parentage.

Shiro was relieved, because he had no desire whatsoever to start the semester off with a fight. Or an argument, to be more precise. It had been a long time since Keith had been involved in a physical fight on school grounds. The last time had been when they were in high school. Shiro wasn't looking for a throwback to that time. Keith had made great strides since then, where anger management was concerned.

"It will be an honor to work with you." Ulaz turned his head as he spoke to include both Shiro and Keith in his remark.

"And you too," said Shiro. "I'm looking forward to it." This exchange felt oddly formal. That might have to do with the famous Galra discipline, but Shiro wanted to ease the tension somehow. Before he could think better of it, and before Keith could make a move to break away from their new acquaintance, Shiro said, "We're just about to eat. Do you want to join us?"

"I would," said Ulaz, "but unfortunately, I have another engagement."

Shiro smiled. "They must be keeping you busy. I've heard of at least three events honoring you."

"They are generous in their respect," said Ulaz, "but I will be glad when their excitement begins to fade."

"I don't blame you. There's such a thing as too much excitement."

"We're in agreement on that point." Ulaz remained unsmiling, and a human less familiar with Galra social cues might have taken that as a sign of unfriendliness. "Soon I hope to experience the academic life here as humans do," Ulaz added. "For now, I will take my leave. I will see you again when our crew meets this evening."

Shiro watched him go. Ulaz moved through the crowd without faltering, and it parted for him—a large portion of it also pausing to gaze at him curiously. Once he was no longer visible, Keith asked, "What's up with you?"

"What?"

"You're distracted."

Was he distracted? Yes, Keith was right. That was what this felt like. Distraction. He needed to focus. "A lot to take in on the first day, that's all."

Keith shrugged. "I guess. They don't start slow. But you'll have top scores again no matter what."

"Will I? Good to know I don't need to put in the work, then."

"Yeah, you can just coast this year."

"That's a relief." Shiro smiled. "I could use a break." Despite their joking, he and Keith both knew that neither of them were about to take a break anytime soon. They had full course loads, and their crews would start meeting tomorrow. He'd see Ulaz again tomorrow. As Ulaz was on his team, he couldn't be one of the problem Galra Keith had mentioned previously. "Ulaz still doesn't strike me as someone who's going to cause trouble," said Shiro.

"No, he was fine," said Keith grudgingly. Ulaz had managed not to offend him. Good for Ulaz, and for Keith as well. Shiro had been hoping that Keith would get along well with some of the Galra students. He knew it would mean a lot for Keith to socialize more—and socialize positively—with his mother's people.

"Was that what you thought I should worry about?" Shiro asked. "Because I'm not worried."

"No," said Keith. "Not that." Shiro blinked at his tone. Keith had become so serious, so quickly. He held up his phone to Shiro, and Shiro's gaze was drawn automatically to the screen. While he'd been talking to Ulaz, Keith had brought up the crew assignments. Or else he'd already had them cued up, ready for this very moment. There they were, practically shining on Keith's device: their new crews, neatly organized in a list, complete with pictures and names. "This is," said Keith, frowning. Distantly, Shiro was aware that Keith was taking no pleasure in this. He was telling him a grim and necessary truth, that was all.

Shiro's eyes widened as he understood what Keith had meant, and why he'd kept suggesting that Shiro check the crew assignments. Shiro took a shaky step back. "That's not possible." But it was. Of course it was. More than that, it was plausible, even inevitable. The worst had finally happened.


	2. Black Squadron Blues

"It won't be so bad," said Keith.

Shiro was usually the one to reassure Keith. He wasn't sure if he enjoyed this role reversal. He appreciated the support, but he didn't enjoy being in a position in which he needed it. His pulse and probably his blood pressure had been elevated since he'd seen the crew lineups earlier in the day.

He had managed to suppress thoughts of the assignments throughout his two remaining classes that afternoon, but every time he remembered what was ahead of him, he experienced the same shudder of dread. This wasn't like him. He needed to remain his usual calm, rational, and understanding self. That was the person he always tried to be. The person he wanted to be.

"I know," he told Keith, speaking slowly and reminding himself to breathe. "It'll be fine. I'll manage. I wasn't expecting this, but it's not a surprise. We could be placed with anyone in our year. It was probably bound to happen eventually."

"I still think those three Galra asked to be put together," said Keith in a low voice, still insisting on his theory. "Because they don't want to work with humans. Or anyone else."

"We don't know that for sure," Shiro reminded him.

"I do." Keith snorted. "One of them was in my intergalactic relations class. He's the kind of person who'd do that."

As much as Shiro didn't want Keith to be suspicious, Shiro preferred to follow this shift in the conversation instead of focusing on his own distress. He preferred the role of giving reassurance to receiving it, so he embraced the subject change, without protest. He didn't want Keith to be needlessly suspicious, but he also didn't want to discount Keith's experiences, so he listened to him expanding on the subject of his suspicions as they walked. Most people thought of Keith as a person of few words, but he obtained a number of extra words when he was talking to Shiro.

Shiro and Keith were headed to their first squadron meeting, and Shiro needed to remain coolheaded and focus on supportive and positive thoughts. It was going to be fine: their meeting, their crew assignments, and the school year. His team would be successful. They'd work together well, they'd learn more skills, and they'd improve as explorers, which was what mattered most. He wasn't going to let his petty irritations stand in the way of that. His personal feelings weren't what was most important in this situation.

"Let's see how things work out," said Shiro, in an attempt to convince both Keith and himself. He almost managed to believe himself. At least he had Ulaz's company to look forward to. That was part of the point of these cultural exchanges: building connections between individuals and increasing understanding. That was exactly the kind of activity Shiro loved to take part in.

The third year squadrons had been named after colors. He and Keith had both been assigned to crews within Black Squadron. Black Squadron was scheduled to meet in one of the student lounges that were scattered across the campus complex. All the other squadrons in the program would be having their first meetings in various locations throughout the week.

Shiro was used to being one of the first people to arrive at any event—a tendency Keith teased him for, even if Keith usually showed up at the same time along with him. When he entered the lounge, Shiro was glad to see he wasn't the only one who liked to arrive ahead of time. Ulaz had also arrived early. He was already waiting in the lounge, sitting with ideal posture in one of the chairs that had been arranged into rows in anticipation of their meeting. Ulaz turned in his seat and rose to his feet when he caught sight of Shiro and Keith. Not only was he early, but he was accompanied by another Galran. This second Galran was more purple than gray, with pointed, furred ears.

The two Galra immediately came to join Shiro and Keith. "I'd like to introduce you to Thace," said Ulaz. "He and I have been friends for many years, and we were fortunate enough to be placed together here. Thace, these are Takashi Shirogane and Keith."

Shiro was aware of Keith tensing beside him, although he doubted that anyone who didn't know Keith well would have noticed his reaction. Keith had always wanted to be accepted by other Galra, but he'd had few opportunities to interact with citizens of the empire. He'd been born on Earth. His mother had defected from the empire years before that. Here were two Galra who, so far, appeared to be friendly and accepting. Keith was all but vibrating—in his extremely subtle way—at the prospect of talking to Galra his age who were treating him with respect. Shiro smiled to himself. He was sure this interaction would be good for Keith.

Shiro was shortly distracted from his friend when he realized that Ulaz was gazing at him intently again, yellow eyes bright. Again, Shiro found it unusually difficult to formulate sentences which his mouth would then reliably shape into actual words. It wasn't because Ulaz was a Galran. That made no difference to Shiro. Maybe it was the frank but inexplicable way Ulaz was regarding him. He smiled, but Ulaz didn't. "It's good to see you again," said Shiro. "And it's nice to meet you, Thace."

Thace replied in kind, politely, but Ulaz didn't turn to look at Thace. He studied Shiro without interruption. "I'm looking forward to meeting our partner," Ulaz said.

"Our partner?" Shiro's mind was a blank. He found himself in the unexpected situation of trying to remember who their partner was. Oh. Right. He couldn't forget that for long. "Yes, our partner. He should be here any minute," said Shiro, but then he actually took the time to consider his own remark and added: "I think."

Although the four of them—Shiro, Keith, and the two Galra— had been the first to arrive, other squadron members were now making their appearances. At first, Shiro recognized all of them and greeted them by name. The program was small enough that the students enrolled in it knew each other, at least by sight, and most likely by name as well. They had started the program together as first year students, so they'd had ample time to become acquainted, with the obvious exception of the newly arrived Galra.

As Shiro was greeting his fellow Black Squadron members, three of those new Galra students entered together, in formation. A sort of formation: two of them walked side by side, with a third bringing up the rear. Shiro wondered if this was the crew of three Galra Keith had mentioned. Shiro had wanted to alleviate Keith's concerns, but he understood why Keith had come up with his theory. Crew formations, while they varied from year to year, had to be deliberate on the part of the administration to some extent, to make sure they varied enough from year to year, as well as to balance out the different skill sets of students with different concentrations. A team made up entirely of pilots might have been interesting, but it wasn't necessarily the most beneficial arrangement, where their overall education was concerned.

These Galra _could_ conceivably have asked to be put on an all-Galra crew. The administration, in its eagerness to further good relations with the empire and encourage the continuation of the new and well-loved exchange program, might have been more accommodating than usual to these new arrivals, respecting their unique status, which was as political as it was academic.

Shiro had already seen these Galra, displayed in full color on the squadron list, but viewing them in person was another matter. he could see how they moved and how they held themselves. One of the three was the obvious leader, based on his bearing and the way the other two followed him. Shiro guessed he was the pilot. He was also the largest of the three. He had a very distinctive appearance. His left arm was a prosthetic, made of some dark metallic substance, and his right eye appeared to be a technological replacement as well, a mechanical eye set into scarred tissue. Both prosthetics glowed with red light, and their design was quite unlike that of Earth medical technology.

The two Galra flanking the leader were of narrower build, although one, who stood almost at the leader's elbow, had distinctive ears with a downward turn. Most of this Galran's attention was fixed on the first Galran. The third member of the trio looked very different from the other two. Rather than being purple, like they were, he was blue, and his fur was scattered with faint spots that were almost leopardlike. He had broad, catlike ears that swiveled as if they were scanning the room, moving independently of each other. He had a long, curling furred tail, leading Shiro to immediately assume that he was a hybrid. Galra didn't have tails like that. He hung noticeably behind the other two, and as Shiro wondered about him, this Galran turned to face him and blinked at him before quickly turning away. He didn't seem unfriendly. If anything, he looked—unhappy. Galra were generally difficult to read, but this more feline person was easier for Shiro to decipher, because he had a great deal of familiarity with cats. Not that he was equating this person with a cat, but it was hard not to make the comparison, especially when the Galran's ears went back, flattening briefly against his head.

Shiro wanted to know more about the newcomers, but they didn't remain a mystery for very long. The one he'd identified as the leader immediately announced himself to the room. "I am Sendak, of Daibazaal, the birthplace of the Empire." Following this introduction, there was a pause. 

When no more information seemed to be forthcoming, the second Galran, the one with the downturned ears, added, in a more modest tone, "My name is Haxus, and this is—"

Haxus paused and turned with an exaggerated delay toward the third Galran. Shiro wasn't sure if Haxus was pausing to allow the other Galran to introduce himself, or because he had forgotten his name. "Lance," the Galran with the tail said, finally. His tail twitched. The flat tone of voice that he answered in told Shiro that yes, Haxus had probably forgotten his name, or was pretending that he had.

Sendak, meanwhile, did not so much as glance at Lance. This entire exchange, as brief as it had been, had been very informative. "Interesting trio," said Shiro to an obviously unimpressed Keith, in a low voice. "They know how to make an entrance."

"I wish they'd make an exit," Keith shot back. His voice, unfortunately, was much louder than Shiro's, probably intentionally so.

It was loud enough to catch Sendak's attention. Sendak hadn't bothered to look at Lance before, but now he turned toward Keith. He took in Keith's appearance, and then looked away from him without a word, as if discounting him entirely. He then looked Shiro over instead. "I see humans have made some attempts at medical progress," said Sendak, glancing meaningfully at Shiro's arm. "How ambitious." He rotated his own prosthetic, which gleamed.

Did he just—try to start a competition between their arms? Yes, he had done exactly that. Shiro's prosthetic was, in fact, the product of a fusion of Altean and Earth technology. It was much less shiny than Sendak's, but ominous glowing lights and a military air hadn't been traits he'd been seeking after he'd lost his arm in an accident, years ago. He didn't need his prosthetic to stand out. Most people didn't mention it upon first meeting him, but this Galran was—like his arm—intent on making himself noticed.

Keith bristled. "You should attempt not to act like—"

He was leaping to Shiro's defense, as usual, but that was not what Shiro wanted him to do. Whatever Keith was going to say, it wasn't going to end well. "Keith!" Shiro said quickly, interrupting him. They didn't need an intergalactic incident right now. The remaining members of Black Squadron were arriving, and Shiro, Keith, and Sendak had become the room's focal point.

"Yours has a impressive design," said Shiro, wanting to make peace, not for Sendak's sake, but for the sake of the squadron as a whole.

"It does," said Sendak, his eyes narrow.

Shiro was now more willing to believe Keith's theory about why their squadron had a crew consisting entirely of Galra. He also believed that Ulaz and Thace shared Keith's disapproval with the idea. The two of them said nothing to Sendak, but that silence itself was telling. Shiro saw how Sendak and Haxus pointedly ignored them both, and how Ulaz and Thace positioned themselves now. They moved, Ulaz standing at Shiro's side, while Thace stepped toward Keith. The Galra may have all been from the same empire, but there were clearly stark divides between them. The Galra Empire was so isolated that Shiro knew very little about their internal politics, but it was clear that these students did not form a unified front.

"Perhaps your technology will advance eventually," added Sendak.

No one said anything to this, but Haxus, at Sendak's side, made a low noise of amusement.

At Shiro's side, Keith was far from amused. He was tensing again, and Shiro suspected another outburst was imminent. Was this situation going to escalate, despite Shiro's best efforts? He was formulating a plan to head off Keith's next remark when an influx of people entering the lounge created a much-needed diversion.

There, at the door, were the distinctive blue and white uniforms of the Altean Royal Guard, as they filed into the room. The Galra trio regarded these newcomers warily, and Shiro enjoyed the feeling of relief as Keith stood down. The entrance of the Guard heralded the arrival of Princess Allura, one of the very few royal members of the student body. As she entered, she gave an apologetic half-smile, as if slightly embarrassed to cause such a fuss with her bodyguard. Shiro knew that it wasn't her choice to have them with her, but there were certain procedures that the princess had to follow. As soon as she caught sight of Shiro, she smiled and hurried over. "Shiro, Keith! I was so glad to see we were in the same squadron this year."

Sendak withdrew, with every appearance of losing his interest in speaking to Shiro. Haxus followed suit. Lance, however, lingered a little longer, glancing at Shiro again. Shiro held his gaze. Considering his suspicions, he tried to convey a sense of sympathy and understanding through his expression alone. Lance hesitated. His tail twitched, but he accompanied the other two members of his crew, with obvious reluctance. Shiro was curious about him, but now wasn't the time to pursue his curiosity. He'd do that later. Not only was he busy talking to Allura, but he had enough to worry about without restarting the tense situation that had been defused by the Alteans' appearance.

Shiro wasn't sorry for the respite. He couldn't say he was generally pleased by the strained relations between the Galra Empire and the Alteans, but in that moment, he appreciated this particular result of their political strife. The improvement in relations between the Galra Empire and the rest of the universe hadn't caused their disagreements and miscommunications with the Altean Alliance to vanish. Their problems had only been mitigated. The situation would hopefully continue to improve, but there was no guarantee of that. There was no treaty.

Black Squadron had six crews, with an even eighteen members. As familiar faces continued to gather and the last members arrived, one face in particular was very conspicuously absent. Shiro frowned. The crews were all gathering, but he and Ulaz were still a duo, rather than the necessary trio. "Is something wrong?" Ulaz asked. "Have you seen our teammate?"

"No," said Shiro. "Not yet, but—" He steeled himself. He knew what he had to do. He could feel himself slipping into crisis mode, but he didn't want Ulaz to know that. "I'll be right back," he said, hoping he sounded as cheerful as he wanted to sound instead of as cheerful as he actually felt. When he flashed a smile at Ulaz, he was sure it was very similar to the strained smile that could be found on Allura's face when she was apologizing for the stir caused by her guards' mandatory presence. He didn't pause to check the answering expression on Ulaz's face before leaving the lounge and hurrying out into the hall. In his limited experience, Ulaz's expression rarely changed.


End file.
